Goodbye Facials, Hello Clarisonic Mia!

Unfortunately, I was one of those girls growing up that got acne.  Now I never had acne so badly that I suffered from scarring or boils, but it definitely was a nuisance.  Like most women, I'm a perfectionist when it comes to my skin...and I get really irritated when my body decides to go on the defense.

These days, it's not just our hormones that cause these annoying little bumps; it can be the things that you eat, how you hold your cellphone, leaning against your hand...almost anything can cause acne - and it's a huge market for treatments.  Don't you get tired of those annoying commercials that promise to bring your skin back to life?  Seriously, if I see Katy Perry talk to her shoe one more time about Proactiv I'm going to scream.  Sorry...but 90% of the time these products don't live up to the hype.  Sure, they might help you out  but in many cases your skin ends up dry and damaged - which is almost as frustrating as acne!

Well, let me tell you that I have tried just about everything since being in 6th grade - just ask my mom.  All through high school she shelled out plenty of dollars trying to get rid of the zits!  I've tried prescriptions, over the counter medications, informercial products, and even monthly facials.  Some products have worked better than others.  For example, I have sensitive skin and I can't handle some of those acne products that suck all of the oil out of you.  As I've gotten older and my hormones have settled down, I just don't produce the oil that I used to!  This leads to constantly feeling like I have to change products until now.

After months of research I finally decided to get the Clarisonic Mia.  Now for someone as strange as me, the fact that they made it in lavender helped make my decision a little easier.  After all, it has to look cute!

When this product first came to the market I scoffed.  From years of trying everything that came out and wasting time and money trying to perfect my skin I was certainly a skeptic when something new was on the shelves.  Plus, being an engineer I analyze everything!  So I decided to stick to my routine - try to get a facial every 2 months or so, keep using my Kiehl's and Philosophy products (my go to skincare lines) and move on.  Why wouldn't I?  I only break out about once a month any more and that seemed okay.

But just last month I realized that the Clarisonic Mia might be worth trying.  For one thing, I started this blog...and I have to try new things so I can write about them (I am the queen of justification).  And everyone online was raving about this product.  So with Sephora gift card in hand I purchased the Mia and was excited to start using it.  I doubted that it was worth the $150 price tag, so I was prepared for a somewhat critical review.

The Clarisonic Mia is the fun, compact alternative to other models - perfect for travel!

When I first tried it last Monday, I was shocked!  My skin literally felt like a baby's!  I could not believe it.  I even made my husband try it.  Of course, he wasn't as flabbergasted as I was...but he seemed to notice an improvement too.  Then the skepticism and the doubts came back..."this has to just be because it's the first time..." I assumed.  I mean...that would only make sense.  But, I'm on day 7 now and my skin continues to prevail.  Not that my skin was in bad shape prior to trying the product, but my pores appear cleaner and smaller, and my face seems more even and almost has a glow to it.

Clarisonic Mia Starter Set, $150

I've decided that if on day 30 I am still as excited as I am now, I am officially canceling all future facial appointments and just making sure that I stick to this regiment.  Like any product, this isn't a miracle worker but it certainly improves your skin's quality.  The other thing I like about the product is that it is rechargeable, and if you prefer another face wash (the set comes with a sample of the Clarisonic brand) you can easily put yours on the brush head.  There's no commitment to stay with the brand's face wash or to stick with your own.  In fact, use more than one.  I use my gentle, Philosophy Purity face wash most of the time, and then exfoliate several times a week with my Kiehl's White Clay Face Scrub.  I recommend both to anyone with combination skin.

So...try to see the glass as half full from now on!  I know I'm learning that some of these products are actually worth the extra cost up front!  I mean...Clarisonic Mia $150.  Brush Head Replacement Pack (2 brush heads), $30.  Monthly facials, $70.  Even if you replace your brush head every month you're looking at a savings of approximately $600 a year!  That's some jeans, a few tops, maybe a purse...you name it!  Those are the types of savings I like to see!

What are you waiting for?  Better skin - Check.  More money for shopping - Check.  Being a savvy gorgeous girl - Priceless (sort of).

XOXO,

Allison

  

  

  

Shopbop - A Personal Shopper without the Hassle or Price Tag

As you may have guessed, I "surf" the internet quite often.  Whether it's to prove to my husband that the girl on the Olive Garden commercial is the oldest girl on the sitcom Modern Family, checking the upcoming U.S. tour dates of one of my favorite artists, or adding some photos to facebook...I'm always on it via phone, computer, or any means possible!  However, most often I am on the internet perusing my favorite stores.  Most of these sites also have physical stores - Sephora, Nordstrom, Gap, etc.  But one of my favorite online sites does not have a physical store...and for my wallet that is probably a good thing!

This site is called www.shopbop.com.  Like most online stores it features a variety of clothes, accessories, and shoes from the latest brands from classics like Tory Burch, Citizens of Humanity, and Theory as well as up and coming designers like Nicole Richie's Winter Kate line.

When you first venture to the site it can be overwhelming!  There are so many designers and you may not know where to start.  However, I venture to the site every week for one thing and one thing only - the lookbook!  Now I have to admit that sometimes they style a model in a way that is too out there for me, but in many cases I love how they choose recent trends to help a woman ensure that she is choosing the right denim for her figure, or finding a cardigan that can be paired with jeans or a summer dress.  It also has a look for every girl - casual, dressy, high fashion or low key.

The variety on shopbop is like taking your favorite department store section and making it five times bigger!  Once you familiarize yourself with the site you'll want to check out the latest designers or see what's new from your favorites.  It's easy to navigate and offers items in a large price range.  If you want to spend less than $100 on a dress, just perform an advanced search with that criteria.  Looking for something green?  No problem!

The other reason I love shopbop?  I don't feel like I'm on a store's website...there's something more...personal about it.  Almost as if I'm looking at a high fashion magazine like Elle and Vogue.  Obviously the site's purpose is to sell you fashionable items, but it also shows you the latest trends in an editiorial fashion - without a subscription or monthly fee - it's all for Free!  My favorite right now?  The seasonless investment pieces; 7 items you can wear all year round in a variety of ways!

So the next time you're looking for a new top don't just venture to the nearest mall!  And if you're bored try a new spin on online shopping - it's worth checking out.  And with free shipping and returns on any order total you won't feel as guilty when you find that new pair of heels you can't live without.  I know I don't...any way to justify a great pair of shoes!

XOXO,

Allison

One of February's Favorites - The Structured Bag

The days of the oversized bag are limited...and what's big right now is the structured bag.  Now don't take the structured bag the wrong way...just because there is more structure to the bag doesn't mean you can't fit all of your favorite things in it.  What it means is that this bag is going to have a more definitive shape.

One of the things you have to look for in a structured bag is a complimenting shape.  For some people, bags can overpower them and take the focus away from you.  That's why it's important to go to the store and try the bag on.  Sometimes I even throw my things into the bag to see how it's going to look all filled up.  Don't worry if a salesperson gives you a funny look - you are making an investment with any purse you buy and if you get home and your wallet won't fit in the bag or it makes the bag look strange while you carry it you are going to be unhappy!  

The structured bag provides a ladylike alternative - it's such a classic piece.  If you opt for the right color and shape, this is a bag that will never go out of style.  You can pull it out in 5 years and still receive compliments.  For example, I am obsessed with the Mulberry Alexa in brown.

Mulberry Alexa, $1195 (Mulbery.com)

It's a practical bag, with lots of room and versatility.  In addition, this bag is a classic.  Since being released in the fall several years ago, it has been on the wrists and shoulders of celebrities and fashionistas - and it's still popular nearly two years later.  These are the bags that you want to splurge on - because you won't be regretting it a week, a month, or a year later.  

Here are a few more of my favorites: 

Jimmy Choo Rosalie Bag, $1495 (Neiman Marcus)

Tory Burch Edye Satchel, $575 (ToryBurch.com)

Badgley Mischka Top Handle Canvas Satchel, $348 (Nordstrom)

So if you're like me and you don't have 10k to shell out for a classic Hermes bag, look into one of these classic alternatives for a fraction of the price.  And if you're a "hobo" bag girl, go out of your comfort zone and opt for one of these bags.  

Still not sure or not in your price area just yet?  Check out Target or Kohl's!  These department stores have been teaming up with elite designer brands like Mulberry, Botkier, and Vera Wang to create stylish but inexpensive alternatives for the girl on the budget.  

Melie Bianco Ruffled Bow Satchel, $69.99 (Target)

Simply Vera Vera Wang Oona Tumbled Leather Satchel, $139.90 (kohls.com)

So the next time you are out and about, try on a structured bag.  As I've shown you - they are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and most importantly - PRICES!  Trust me, your bucket bag needs a rest.  After all, spring cleaning is just around the corner...so out with the old and in with the new!  Although this "new" might be around for quite awhile!

XOXO,

Allison

A Beauty Club? Count me in!

Okay, first of all I would like to start out today by saying thank you to everyone out there who has been providing such positive feedback!  I was a little nervous about starting this blog, and it's nice to feel like the only people reading it are not just my husband, family, and good friends.

With that being said, let's move on to the good stuff.  One of the best things about this blog is all of the information I learn from my friends and today's topic is a perfect example of that.  A good friend (and obviously viewer of the blog) let me in on a little secret that she found in a magazine recently - a beauty club.  Now if you'll remember correctly about a week ago I talked about how important samples are to beauty sales.  I mean, unless I hear from a close friend that I have to try a product or read several reviews online I am not so willing to shell out a great deal of money for a product I don't have total confidence in. Well, some genius (seriously, I am very jealous that I did not think of this first) thought of a way to ensure that you are trying the latest and greatest and it's called Birchbox.

From perusing the site (and preparing to set up) I am most excited about several things.  For one, if you are commitment phobic, you can cancel whenever...but if you like you can join for a year and get a month free, a $10 coupon (which equals 100 birchbox points), and if you decide you don't like it you can cancel the membership and use the money you have left over to buy full size products that you enjoy.  Not good enough?  Well every month you will receive 4-5 luxe samples...meaning that you will actually be able to use it more than once!  Now I love Sephora and I adore the free samples...but the deluxe samples are where it's at!  I mean, do you really learn enough about a product after one use?  I think not!  Now as you continue your membership and purchase products you make birchbox points....which translates into discounts off products!  Almost no retailers do that...they might throw you a bone and give you free shipping...but you rarely get discounts!  Are you a good networker?  Well then tell your friends and rack up extra points for every referral you see!  The possibilities are endless!

One of the aspects I love about birchbox is the brand diversity.  There are brands that we're all familiar with like Benefit, Nars, Stila, and Laura Mercier, but there are also up and coming brands that you will get to try before they are in some major department stores!  I don't know about you, but I love to find new and unique products I love (obviously)!

Still not convinced?  Well...how about personalized tips from celebrity make-up artists?  This is a great way for you to learn how to use the tools you already have without leaving your home.  When you go to the department store and want to know how to make the smokey eye you leave the make-up counter having spent $100.  This is an opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade without leaving home - from people who have lots of experience and success in the field.

I know I'm excited...and I can't wait to try my first Birchbox.  It will be like Christmas every month at my house - with new surprises all the time!  I have a feeling that the UPS man and I are going to become very close!  Check it out - www.birchbox.com

XOXO,

Allison

Not your average fashion jewelry - the Tacori 18k925 collection

When I was 12 years old I dreamed of receiving an engagement ring in the blue box.  I just didn't realize that the blue box I was thinking of would not be a Tiffany ring.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to diss Tiffany, but in my personal opinion Tiffany is a frustrating brand to deal with.  The thing that I dislike about Tiffany is that there is no room for personalization and you don't have a lot of options.  I also think that it is somewhat overpriced for what you get.  I mean, basically when you buy a Tiffany piece you are buying the brand - which is known for high quality and also quite expensive.  It's not a bad thing, but it's just a fact.

So when my husband and I were talking about getting engaged I knew exactly what I wanted.  An antique inspired sapphire ring with pave diamonds on the band.  I was set on Tiffany, but a good friend of mine (aka Vic) persuaded me to look at some different brands and as soon as I saw Tacori I was sold.  My ring can be seen below and I love it more and more every day!

There is only one place in the Indy area that sells Tacori, and that is Moyer Fine Jewelers.  If you ever head there ask for Bill - he is knowledgeable, honest, friendly, and never pushy.  He doesn't want to persuade you to buy something you don't love - and that's a great quality for a salesperson to have in my eyes.  I hate when I feel rushed and I like to think about my purchases.  When someone starts getting agitated with me, I make up my mind right then and there not to give them my business!  

Any who, I've gotten side tracked again!  Shortly after our engagement in July 2009 Tacori released it's first ever high end fashion jewelry line - the Tacori 18k925 collection.  With a range of earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and pendants the collection used bright stones set off by high quality and great detail.  One of my favorite pieces from the collections are these studs: 

With a rose gold amethyst center stone and pink gold detailing, these earrings go for about $360.  I have them, and I wear them all the time.  The great thing about the center stone is the versatility.  You may think that you are stuck trying to match it to certain outfits, but it actually makes my coloring look great and hence makes anything I wear look better.  An enhancement without going under the knife!

And for those of you ladies looking for a right hand ring - look no further.  There are some gorgeous, high quality, and radiant pieces in this collection.  I happen to love this one:

For around $1200, this offers an alternative to the plain jane diamond and will definitely be noticed.  It's delicate without being overwhelming, and is a fabulous madeira citrine center stone.

The collection as a whole ranges from $300 - $3000 and offers something for every girl.  With bold color combinations the styles are fun and classic at the same time.  Most of the pieces still offer something delicate to set off the larger size of some of the center stones.  Seriously, you have to see them in person!

Trying to cut the budget this year?  No problem!  Tacori also has a sterling silver CZ diamonique collection with intricate pieces for the girl watching her spending!

So...with Valentine's Day around the corner try something new and bold.  Don't go for the pearl earrings or the diamond studs - put a little color in your life!  And who needs another diamond pendant?  Make a statement - you will get noticed!  These pieces offer something unique...and who wants to be like everybody else?  You will not be sorry!  And if you're like me...you'll be a Tacori customer for life!

XOXO,

Allison

An Investment Worth Making - Make-Up Brushes

When a make-up artist once told me that she would be nothing without the make-up brushes I laughed.  Literally - out loud.  I wasn't try to make fun of her, but I really thought it was hard to believe that a metal or wooden handle with a few bristles with hardly be the difference between getting a fabulous smokey eye and looking like a clown.  However, I was wrong (I know, hard to believe) - the brushes were the answer!

I came across this "secret" of the pros a few years ago.  For awhile I had been wearing the same make-up look and it was obviously not the best stuff to be wearing.  I just wanted something fresh.  So when I went to the mall shortly thereafter I decided to try out MAC.  It seemed like it would be the safest bet - a high end cosmetics line that wasn't out of the world expensive for a poor college kid.  The make-up artist was really sweet, and when we were done I couldn't believe how different my look was.  One of the things about my look that I was obsessed with were my eyes.  They had subtle shades of purple with a little gray mixed in - colors I would never choose but looked amazing with my hazel eyes.  

Normally, when I had gotten eyeshadow with more than one color in the pallet my eyes would appear like someone punched me.  It wasn't that I was applying it poorly...I just didn't have the right tools.  All that I was using were the applicators given to you in the eyeshadow.  The MAC artist wasn't pushy, but she told me that the best way to mirror the look was to try the brushes.  So she took off my make-up on one eye and went through the steps with me.  Now, this isn't like a miraculous story or anything...her smokey eye still looked way better...but mine looked pretty good for my first try!  After that I was sold, and we selected a few basic brushes for me to try with the new look she had provided.  

Now that I've been using the brushes for awhile, I don't know how I ever lived without them.  For one thing, my hands aren't a million colors when I'm done putting on my make-up - they are actually fairly clean!  Also, I don't use as much of my make-up because I use small amounts to apply to my face.  Not only is this cost effective but it also makes my look more natural looking.  Without using all of the excess my make-up doesn't look heavy - a problem that some of us encounter when we don't apply our make-up correctly.  

So if you're tax refund is on the way and you're looking to get something new for yourself - why not buy something you'll actually get a lot of use out of it instead of that pair of flashy heels that you're only going to wear once!  Start out with a few of the basics (a foundation brush, a powder brush, a cheek brush, an eyeshadow brush, and an angled brush) or look for a good set.  

I recommend this set below from Bobbi Brown.  It's cheaper than buying them individually, and it basically gives you everything you need to enhance your look!  

Not sure what the brush is for?  No biggie - on the handle of the brush it tells you it's intended use!  Problem solved!  

So next time you want a new look...don't necessarily rush to the counter and buy up all the new colors.  Buy a brush or too, and try using the colors you already have.  You'd be surprise what you come up with it...after all, you are the canvas!  

XOXO,

Allison

Mascara - Bargain Brand or Department Store?

Since I began wearing make-up in middle school, the one product that I have always been changing is my mascara.  Not only is it one of the easiest tools in your make-up bag to change up, but I've also been trying to find a brand I actually want to buy again.  Don't get me wrong, most mascaras perform the necessary task of enhancing my eyelashes, but none of them do it well enough to make me say - I have to buy that one again!

It's not that I have bad eyelashes...I would say I've probably got an average length and lots of lashes to work with.  It's just that some nights I want them to stand out more than others...and I'm too cheap to do something that requires a lot of maintenance like eyelash extensions, pharmaceutical enhancements, or just the traditional fake lash route.  Plus, it's not worth the hassle to me!  I want to wake up, put on a coat of mascara, and say, "Wow this mascara works fabulously!"

Well, recently I have found two brands that make phenomenal mascara - and I've tried a lot of them.  They are the Dior, Diorshow mascara and the YSL, Volume Effet Faux Clis.  Both are shown below.

Now I'm not going to lie to you, for $24 dollars and $28 dollars, respectively, these mascaras do not offer a "cheap alternative."  However, they enhance your lashes all day by providing something that most mascaras can't do over a period of time - lift.  For some reason, the brush (which is patented in both cases) is able to separate lashes more.  So even though you may feel like the formula is a little thick, it will actually apply incredibly smoothly.  In fact, if you don't believe me...look for yourself:

So the next time you go to the mall and you are looking for a new look, try picking up one of these two mascaras.  As you can see, it makes a world of difference if you have the right stuff - and friends and coworkers will be asking what you've done differently.  When the formula starts to get clumpier (mascaras are the fastest expiring cosmetics and should be thrown out after approximately 4 months) get a new one - try the other brand or even a different shade.  I really love how natural some of the brown shades look and I've even considered venturing into some of the softer navy and green shades for something new.  

Mascara...who would have thought that to get better lashes you just had to find a better product?  Trust me, I was a skeptic too...but I'm so happy that I went this route and not the more painful and pricier routines.  It's worth a try if you're not satisfied with what you are using currently...and of course your eyelashes will thank you for going the safer, quicker route.  I know mine do!  

XOXO,

Allison

All of the mascaras below are the products I use.  If you're a newbie to these brands...try the YSL!  If you have tried these brands already and want something new - try the Dior 360.  This brush is actually battery operated to get the best application!  You won't be sorry!